Trunnion suspension for radiators.



LE. WOODBRIDGE. TRUNNION SUSPENSION PoR RADIAToRs.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 28. 1907.

` Patented Mar. 25, 1913.L

UNITED sTATEsj PATENT oEEioE. 'i

JAMES E. WooDBEIDGE, or BEIDGEHAMPTON, 4NEW YORK, AssIGNoR, BY MESNE AssIGNMENTs, To E. 1. A. T., or POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW Yomg A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

TEUNNIQN sUsPENsroN Eon EADIAToEs.

lSpecification of Letters Patenti" Patented Bral',- 25, 1913.

Application led June 28, 1907. Serial No. 381,330.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be itknown that I, JAMES E. WooDRIDGE,

a citizen of the United- States, residing in lowing is a description.

This .invention relates to supporting means for coolers or radiators for automobiles and has particular reference to a trun-v or radi- A -fscrews 10, the heads of-W-hich are completely nien suspension for said coolers ators.

Aniong'the objects of my invention may be noted the following: to provide means whereby the radiator may be supported on'I .the frame-of an automobile, or a car 0f like character,l in such manner as to prevent thel jolts and jars and strains of the car from 'affecting the radiators; to provide means. whereby radiators'may be suspended on cars without straining, springing or twistingthe frame of the radiator, irresp.ective of what may happen to t-he carin ordinary running;

and to provide a simple and eective trunnion `,support or pivotalsuspension means for radiators in automobile construction.

lVith the above objects in view, `andotliers which will be detailed during the' course of this description, myy invention consists of the parts, features-and combinations of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, a 'sheet of drawings forms part of this specification, and therein: Figure l is a front elevation of cooler or radiator shown as suspended, according to my invention, on the frame of the car; Fig. 2 is a I vertical, central section on an enlarged scale,

showing the construction of the trunnion suspension and the adjacent port-ion of the radiator; Fig. 3 is an velevation of thatpor# .tion of Fig. 2, behind the line 3-3 ofthe latter figure, and looking in the direction of the .arrow and showing the trunnion in section; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail showing in section 4a.ndelevation the trunnion support and a portion of the radiator or cooler, and showing howrthe movement of the latter may vary relatively to the frame of the car.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the radiator or cooler usedon automobiles,

and?, indicates the angle bars of the frame or chassis of an automobile,` upon the front portion of which the radiator is usually supported. A bracket 3 is bolted, riveted or otherwise secured to the frame'portion 2, as indicated at 4, saidbracket being provided with a journal bearing 5, provided with a transverse aperture 6, in which slides a jour-l nal composed ,of two semi-circular `portions 7 and 8, the former of which istapped and f screw-threaded, and the'latter of which is j provided with oppositebores and apertures, indicated by l9,` for the recept-ion of. thehoused by said' apertures 9, said -screws being passed through the portion 8 and tapped .socket 1l, 'forzthe reception4 of the balll 12,

on 'the end of the stein or trunnion `-13, formed as a part of the supporting-plate 14,'riveted or 'otherwise suitably secured, as' indicated at 15, to' the opposite'sidesof the frameof the radiator, therivets passing, through said j frame, as indicated in Fig. '2.' Preferably, the support 14 is extendedaround t-he lower cornerl of the frame of the .ra'diator,'so j is' to provide a ieiiiforce,as at 16.y A furt inforce 17 ,.fo'r the frame of the radiator, is

provided in the shape of a plate or strip of heavy .metal applied to the `inside of the ra diator frame and extending, preferably,-

from th'e upper angle 18 of the frame of the radiator, down to the bottom ofthe latter, I

and c'urved'around the angle of saidfr'ame at 19. A

By `the construction above described, al

trunnion-suspeiision forthe radiator Ais pro` vided,constituting. a universal joint which is not only'strong, simple and compact, lbut which provides for complete freedom of part slide-journal, which latter has its'liearhave universal swinging movement' on the car, and relatively, also,l to the .two-part Vmovement between the oar .andthe radiator.. That is to say,fthe ball-bearingin -t-he twojournal, while the' latter is free to reciprocate' -I and have rotary o r oscillatory 'movementv ini said bracket. Henee, theV frame' of theicarr ing the` radiator or having anyv detrii'nental-.- effect thereon, and the frame ofthe car ina' receive all kinds of racking strains. "en

can jar and jolt to any extent without .strain-51055.

spring to the limit -of its elasticity, Without straining, twisting or otherwise injuriously affecting the radiator.

Fig. 4t illustrates the manner in'which the two-part. slide-journal 7 8 may slide back and forth in the bracket 3, and it is obvious that said journal may also have rotary or oscillatory movement in said bracket, while the ball-bearing or trunnion-support between the radiator and said two-part journal permits the radiator to haveb universal movement relatively to both the two-part journal and the frame of lthe machine. Hence, twisting or straining action of the opposite portions of the frame of the car in which the. radiator is suspended may take place in practically any direction Without affecting the radiator, since the two-part journal slides and rotates relatively to the car, while the ball trunnions provide for universal movement of the car, twopart journal and the radiator relatively.

It will be understood that the radiator is usually steadied at the top by a rubber Water-circulating hose which is connected to the motor. This rubber hose vields'suiii# ciently to render the radiator independent of the engine vibration, and it is also sulficiently elastic to resist the sudden jars which the radiator receives when a car runs into.

holes or otherwise receives jolts, in road running. v

The reinforce 17 on the 1ns1de of the Iframe of the radiatoris for the purpose of frame of the radiator may be fractured and torn without putting the radiator out of action or use. It will be readily understood that excessive strains might rip the supporting-plate 14, secured by t-he rivet-s 15, from the side 'of the radiator frame, but with the reinforcing plate 17 in place the radiator will still be capable of use. c

lVhile, in most cases, I deem it better to interpose the two-part journal between' the, ball 12 and the bearing 5, because ofthe ad-y vantages heretofore set fort-h, and while this is the preferred form of my invention, still, 1n some instances, I might, and have found itl desirable to, dispense with said two-part journal and allow the ball 12 to pivot on the bearing 5 and move relatively thereto. Therefore, in my claims, "I shall set forth my invention in suiiciently broad terms to cover both ideas of means.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A radiator support for automobiles comprising ball trunnions attached to opposite sides of the radiator, and a two-part horizontally separable casing embracing each trunnion, said casing having internal spherical surfaces contacting with the trunnions and external cylindrical surfaces, and cylindrical bearing supports carried-by the automobile frame constructed to permit axial sliding of said casing, whereby universal Imovement is afforded.

2. A radiator support for automobiles comprising ball trunnions attached to opposite sides of the radiator, two-part cap plates removably secured to said trunnions having internal surfaces conforming to the trunnions and cylindrical external surfaces, and fixed brackets on the side frames having cylindrical bearings inclosing the cap plates and permitting limited longitudinal sliding movement.

3. A radiator support for automobiles comprising' ball trunnions secured to the radiator, brackets secured to the side frame having cylindrical bearings, and two-part cap plates conforming to the spherical trunnion surfaces and clamped thereto by counter-sunk screws, said cap plates having cylindrical outer surfaces to conform to the bearings.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES E. 'WooDBRIDGn Witnesses vI `LoRENcE ATEN Ives,

M. HERsKovrrz. 

